1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic treatment apparatus which can treat a biological tissue by utilizing ultrasonic vibration transmitted to an ultrasonic probe, a method of assembling the ultrasonic treatment apparatus, and an ultrasonic treatment system.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-224133 discloses an ultrasonic treatment instrument in which the treatment such as solidifying or cutting is performed on the biological tissue by the ultrasonic vibration while the biological tissue is gripped. The ultrasonic treatment instrument mainly includes a main body unit, a probe, and a vibrator unit. The main body unit, the probe, and the vibrator unit can be disassembled so as to be easily cleaned and repeatedly used.
In this kind of ultrasonic treatment instrument, the main body unit includes a long insertion portion which is inserted into a body cavity to perform the treatment, and an operation portion which is provided in a proximal end portion of the insertion portion. A distal end treatment portion which grips the biological tissue is provided in a distal end portion of the insertion portion. The distal end treatment portion includes a jaw and the treatment portion of the probe. The jaw is rotatably attached to the distal end portion of the insertion portion by a pin while facing the treatment portion of the probe. Therefore, the jaw can be opened and closed at the distal end portion of the insertion portion with respect to the treatment portion of the probe.
Generally, in the jaw, in order to prevent friction by the ultrasonic vibration of the probe, a grip member made of a resin material such as PTFE having a low friction coefficient is attached to a region which comes into contact with the treatment portion of the probe. An operation handle which operates opening and closing of the jaw is rotatably attached to the operation portion. The operation handle and the jaw are coupled to each other by a drive shaft passing through a channel in the insertion portion. The drive shaft proceeds and retreats in an axial direction of the insertion portion by operating the operation handle, and the jaw is opened and closed by transmitting drive force to the jaw.
A vibrator unit, into which a device for converting high-frequency current into the ultrasonic vibration is incorporated, is detachably attached onto a proximal end side of the operation portion. The probe which transmits the ultrasonic vibration is detachably connected to the vibrator unit by a screw or the like. The probe is inserted into a channel different from the drive shaft located in the operation portion and insertion portion of the main body unit. In the state in which the probe is assembled to the main body unit, the treatment portion located at the distal end of the probe faces the jaw while protruded past the distal end of the insertion portion.
In the ultrasonic treatment instrument, the grip member of the jaw is worn because the grip member is repeatedly used. The life of the ultrasonic treatment instrument is ended at the time when the grip member is completely worn. At this point, the cost is held down by replacing the main body unit with a new one when compared with the case where the whole of the ultrasonic treatment instrument is replaced. In cleaning the ultrasonic treatment instrument after use, the ultrasonic treatment instrument is cleaned using a dedicated cleaning adaptor which flushes the channel of the drive shaft, where a brush cannot be inserted, with a cleaning solution.